Escape This Life
by Bee Lynn
Summary: The fire naion is planning an attack. Aeko, an earthbender hears about it. Can he save himself, and his best friend, and get away in time? Better Summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. But, I do own Rayea and Aeko. **

**Summary: Aeko and Rayea are two best friends that have lived in a small earthbending town all their lives. When Aeko hears news that the fire nation is planning an attack he decided he has to leave, but Rayea won't let him go on his own. Will they make it out on time, and escape the fire nation?**

**A.N: This idea has been bugging me for DAYS! I finally decided to type it up and post it. Yay me! Now, a little about the characters. Rayea (ray-uh) is 14. Aeko (ay-ko) is almost 15. Both will be described later in this chapter. One of the first thoughts Aeko has in this story is about how much he loves Rayea. But as far as she knows, it's just as friends. Well, there is a lot about that in this story, hence the romance. There won't be THAT much about Aang, Katara, Sokka and Zuko because this story is about Rayea and Aeko, not the other characters. But that doesn't mean those characters won't be in the story. They might be!**

**Ok, I'll have you wait no longer! On with the story!**

**Chapter One**

A dark figure crept quietly through the maze of small houses in the small earthbending town of Kiroku. It stepped over a twig so it wouldn't snap. It knew just where it was going, and didn't want to be seen, or heard, while it made it's way there.

As the figure reached one of the smaller houses towards the back of the area it walked over to one of the windows and peered in. It was dark; the only light coming from the moon and the stars, but the figure could make out everything in the room. This was the room it wanted.

The figure pulled the window open and climbed onto the frame of the window. He quietly stepped onto the bed that was positioned under the window, but was careful not to step on the girl that was occupying the bed. As he stepped from the bed his boots made a soft 'thud' on the floor. Though it was soft, it was loud enough to wake the girl, who was a very light sleeper.

She sat up, instantly alert. She sighed and relaxed when she realized who it was. "Aeko, it's the middle of the night! What do you want?" She whispered harshly, yet her voice softened when she realized he was fully clothed and was holding a bag. His face held a serious expression, and it worried her.

"I'm leaving, Rayea. I can't stay here."

A lump immediately formed in her throat and her heart ached. "Why? What happened?"

He sat on the bed next to her, leaving his bag on the floor beside the bed. He held her hand and sighed. "Today I was in the forest and I found a fire nation camp." Rayea gasped, but he continued. "It's not too far from here, but far enough to not be noticed. I overheard that they would be attacking here soon. And they will be taking all the earth benders. So, I have to leave. You'll be safe, since you can't bend."

She pulled away from him and slid off the bed. She paced around the room once before leaning on a wall and sliding down to the floor, pulling her legs to her chest. She stared straight ahead and seemed to zone out, her thoughts consuming her.

Aeko watched her, his own heart aching too. How he wished Rayea could come with him. He knew she'd ask, eventually. But it would be safer for her to stay. He stared at her. He had known her all his life, and she still looked about the same as she had when they met. Her hair was golden brown, and came to her elbows. Her eyes were pale gray, and amazed him. No one knew where her eye color came from, but wherever it had come from, he thanked. He loved her eyes.

Actually, he loved all of her. Loved her as much as he could; every ounce of him loved her. But, she didn't know that. As far as she knew, that love was as a friend.

He looked down at the floor and sighed. Rayea looked up, a few tears being blinked back. She couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. She did every time. He looked the same as he had years ago when they met. His hair was shorter than most boys their age, but she loved it. (think jet's hair!) His eyes were pure black. They held not a speck of color. And that amazed her as much as her own eye color did. Her smile grew with time, for she loved him so much. Every part of him.

Yet, for all he knew, the love was as a friend.

But he was so wrong.

Eventually, Aeko looked up, his eyes meeting with hers. She stood up and walked over to her wardrobe. Aeko raised an eyebrow, but didn't question her actions. Rayea left the room with a pile of clothes in her arms. She returned a few minutes later wearing black pants, black boots, a dark green top that fell to almost her knees. The sleeves flared around her hands, and were about an inch longer than her fingertips. A black sash held the top closed, and the necklace Aeko had given her two years ago held it's place around her neck. She never took it off.

Rayea looked at Aeko's questioning look. "I'm coming with you."

He stood up, probably a little too quickly. "You can't! It's too dangerous!"

She smiled. "Shh. You'll wake my mother! Now, where are we going?"

Aeko sighed. "You can't come."

"I am coming. Whether you like it or not. Why'd you come if you didn't want me to come with you?"

He thought for a second. Why had he come? "I wanted to say goodbye."

"Well you don't have too. I'm coming with you."

Aeko sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Fine." As they climbed out the window he smiled to himself. As they reached the edge pf the forest a burst of flames could be seen in the distance behind them. They heard a cry of "Fire!" and another cry of "Firebenders!" They looked at each other and started to run; away from the village.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

**A.N: Come on, people! I didn't get _any_ reviews! Maybe this chapter will make u review. Yay! I'm not sure if I'm gonna make the necklace have some big meaning, but if it does….it does xD**

**Chapter Two**

Aeko and Rayea ran quickly through the dense forest, trying to got away from the chaos. If they were caught, their lives would be hell. That's what made them run. Aeko glanced at Rayea as she ran. He knew she loved to run. She had a smile on her face, even with the circumstances. Though, he knew she wouldn't be able to run for long. She had bad knees and a bad ankle. She had almost broken her ankle when they were younger, and bad knees ran in her family.

Aeko glanced at her again. She was still smiling, though the smile was a bit smaller than it had been seconds before. She was enjoying the run, but he could tell her knees were hurting her. He could see it in her eyes. But she would be okay, for at least a little longer. She was strong and a little pain wasn't going to stop her.

They could still hear screaming and yelling, the villagers pleading, behind them, but it was growing softer. They were past where the fire benders had camped. Aeko could tell by some of the path markers he had set up. As she ran, Rayea gently grasped her necklace in her hands, smiling. Aeko had given it to her two years ago on her twelfth birthday. It was a silver chain with a dragon-shaped charm. The dragon was holding a small gray orbs, the exact color of Rayea's eyes.

Rayea ran a few feet ahead of Aeko. She was running way too fast for his liking. "Slow down! You'll hurt yourself!" Rayea had run herself out many times before, which only added to her knee problems. She would run through the forest until she collapsed from not getting enough oxygen. Her running was always faster than her breathing, which wasn't good.

"I'll be fine!" She was always stubborn like this. She didn't like it when someone told her to slow down, or be careful. She was being careful and she knew when she needed to rest. She wouldn't run herself out. Not this time.

"Please, Rayea!" Aeko started to slow down. He was having trouble breathing. He knew Rayea was. He stopped and Rayea did too. Aeko leaned against a tree and watched as Rayea sat and leaned against the trunk. She wasn't doing well. He could tell. She was getting paler than usual. He kneeled beside her. "Rayea, I told you…" She leaned against him, her breathing no where near normal. Aeko smiled as her eyes closed. "You've run yourself out again." He whispered to her, even though she couldn't hear him.

He carefully slipped one arm under her back and the other under her knees. He picked her up and kept walking, though at a much slower pace that their running had been. They were pretty far from the village, but it wouldn't hurt to go a little further.

---xx---

"Rayea!" Mahri ran into her daughter's bedroom. "Rayea, fire nation! Aeko's gone-," She stopped, realizing her oldest daughter wasn't there. "No." She whispered. "No. Rayea!"

A solder crashed into the house, cornering Mahri. "We want all the earthbenders. NOW."

"There aren't any here." Mahri said bravely, though she was scared for her daughter and Aeko and everyone that _was_ an earthbender, she wouldn't show it.

The solder, apparently, did not like that answer.

---xx---

A flying bison wasn't noticed as it flew over the burning village. Though, the three teens in the bison's saddle didn't fail to notice the fire and smoke.

"Aang, that village!"

"We have to help them."

"But there are _firebenders!_ Do you _want_ to get caught?"

"Sokka! They need help!" The young avatar took this as a que and turned the flying bison around, going back to the village.

---xx---

Aeko carefully laid Rayea in the grass in the small clearing he had found that actually had water near it. He wasn't sure how long Rayea would sleep, and he didn't know how long he would be able to go, either. He pulled a blanket from the bag he had packed and lay it over Rayea. She usually slept for a while after she ran herself out. What bothered him more than her running herself out was why she would.

She knew she could run herself out very easily, so usually she was careful. But, she would run herself out on purpose if she had a reason to. And today, she did just that. She knew she would run herself out, and she did. Usually she only did this when something big was on her mind. The first time she did it was when she found out her father had left them, not died. She had gotten so mad that he would do that…

She didn't even know him.

She didn't know his name, even. But she got so worked up over it, that she ran until she couldn't run anymore. Aeko had been there that time, and he was there now. And even if she didn't like it, he would be there all the other times it happened.

He watched her as she slept, her breathing normal. It had been for a few hours. The sun was starting to show over the horizon, but Aeko didn't care. They would stay right where they were until Rayea was ready to start moving again.

However long that would be.

But, knowing Rayea, that would be as soon as she was awake.

Aeko laid next to Rayea and pulled part of the blanket over him, glad he had decided to bring the larger blanket rather than the smaller one. Of course, if he had brought the smaller one he would get to be closer to Rayea than he was now…but this was Rayea. His best friend.

He had to stop having these thoughts. Even if he didn't know she was having the exact same thoughts he was.


End file.
